The Commission will be aware that in public debate and discourse, many trade bodies, think tanks, NGOs, charities and other lobby groups are active in propagating their views. The Commission must also be aware that many of these organisations are partial, yet will often present their research as impartial when it has in fact been funded by a particular interest group.

The transparency of the debate would be considerably increased by each such actor being obliged to state the sources of funding for their research on the face of the report, and in a clearly designated format on their website. As part of efforts to increase transparency in lobbying, has the Commission given consideration to obliging all actors active in the public policy debate, whether for-profit bodies, trade bodies or membership organisations, to reveal their funding sources?